"Sick? Gods shouldn't get sick."

"Kenren," Tenpou interrupted softly, his smile slowly dying. "We're immortal, not invincible."

That statement seemed to take all the air out of Kenren's lungs and he slouched against the door, uncertain about how to respond. So he just resorted to smoking. The marshal chuckled softly and put the papers back in his drawer, taking care to lock it.

"What the hell are you laughing at? I'm just pissed that you ain't thinking about what happened. The most dangerous man in heaven, and you're knocked unconscious for two days by a fucking piece of furniture!"

"That was quality furniture, General, and you shouldn't have destroyed..." He stopped. The humming in the back of his mind was back again. It doesn't mean that you didn't lover her enough...But Kenren never said... "What in the world are talking about Kenren? Didn't love who enough?" His eyesight grew hazy and he stumbled, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Hey, hey. Easy now. You just woke up," Kenren soothed, bringing Tenpou back onto his feet and leading him to the bedroom. "What happened in there anyway? Must have been some freaky stuff that messed with your ears because now you're hearing things."

Tenpou shrugged and sat on the soft mattress, shedding the lab coat and fiddling uselessly with the buttons of his shirt. His hands were shaking and for a while, he thought that his eyes were playing tricks on him as well. Was that his lifeline shrinking?

"You weren't too far from the truth," he admitted, then looked grudgingly at his own hands. They just couldn't keep still, as if the ground were shaking. "General, could you do me a fav-"

But he was cut off with a kiss as Kenren gently pushed him flat on the bed and started undoing his shirt buttons, pushing past the fabric and grazing his mouth against the skin underneath. "Did you just admit I was right, Tenpou?"

"Part of your compensation, General. If you want the rest, I advise you to stop talking," Tenpou answered, slipping his cold hands against Kenren's cheeks and guiding him up until the general's shadow hovered over his face. Tenpou knew this wasn't fair, but he needed this, and it was right here, warm and close and offering.

Kenren understood well enough that this probably the worst way to solve the problem, but it was the quickest and most agreeable way for both of them. Tenpou would never tell him anything, he knew that. You can sleep with a man carrying a thousand hidden secrets for a thousand nights and not learn a thing, but for Kenren it was enough that he could slip around these secrets, nestle into the cracks and wait for the walls to fall.